Mr Boyd Barrett made his comments during a four-hour deba te on Pesco â" or permanent structured co-operation, a Franco-German initiative to pool resources and enhance the effectiveness of member statesâ defence forces for missions under the EUâs common security and defence policy.

The Opposition said there was no rush and there should be a full debate, with Army and other experts being called in to give a detailed analysis. Opposition TDs called on the Independent Alliance to make its position clear before the Government voted on the move. The Independents 4 Change TD Clare Daly said the Ministers of State Finian McGrath and John Halligan, in particular, should do so, as they had in Opposition vehemently opposed the militarisation of Europe and an EU army.

But TÃ¡naiste Simon Coveney, who opened the debate, denied that Ireland would in effect be joining an EU army. He added that the Stateâs âtraditional policy of military neutrality is not going to changeâ. Ireland would decide which missions, in peacekeeping, counterterrorism, training and marine surveillance, to join, he said.

Fianna FÃ¡ilâs defence spokeswoman, Lisa Chambers, said that after the UK leaves the European Union it will be âextremely important that we as a member state show our support for the EU and its valuesâ. She also denied that Pesco amounted to a European army, but she said that there should be ongoing debate about the role of the Defence Forces and that the Department of Defence should update the Oireachtas every three months about military engagements the State was involved in.